People

Description

The group works in three primary areas: experimental evolution, evolutionary genomics, and statistical phylogenetics.
Experimental evolution: We use a number of small bacteriophage model systems to address questions about the genetics of adaptation. These systems are ideal for addressing questions about the genetics of adaptation as they have small genomes, short generation times, and mutation rates ranging from high to low. Specifically, we are interested in such questions as the role of mutation and recombination in adaptation, epistasis, and compensatory evolution.
Evolutionary genomics: Research in this area focuses on microbial populations (primarily, bacteria, bacteriophages, and eukaryotic viruses). We use large publicly available genomics data sets (e.g., influenza) and wild population samples to address questions about population structure, adaptation, recombination, and compensatory evolution.
Statistical phylogenetics: Research in this area focuses on the development of statistical phylogenetic methods for discrete character evolution, recombination, epistasis, compensatory evolution, and other topics.